Revelations
by TVala
Summary: One of the horse lords chooses a champion.


AN: Bian Northwind is one of the Four Horselords the K'Miri

worship, and created horses. She and Onua Chamtong belong to

Tamora Pierce. Shana Charres is mine.

Shana fidgeted, feeling unsettled by something...She had the

strangest feeling she should do something, but what...Shaking her head

to clear it, she decided to go for a bit of a walk...worst came to

worst, she'd mingle with the pony herd...that always settled with her.

Frowning as her mind refused to settle, she turned and headed to the

corrals where they kept the main group of ponies the riders used. She

entered, mingling with the animals. A low voice entered her world.

"When I was told someone was mingling with the herd, I had to step

out and see who it was. I'm Onua Chamtong."

Shana hesitated. "Shana Charres. I'm sorry, I just needed to..."

Onua looked at her a long moment. "Follow me. I've been meaning to

have a talk with you."

"Ma'am?" Shana followed Onua to a cafeteria.

"I have been curious, why have you not been following any of the

K'mir customs? Why do you ignore your heritage?"

"My heritage?"

Onua gave her a long look. "You take after your father in looks,

though you have your mother's build."

"You knew my ma?"

"Yes. She was a friend..." Shana shook her head, trying to clear

it. "I'm...K'mir?"

"Half...You didn't know?"

Shana shook her head. "No...I heard she died soon after giving birth

to me...she'd been...attacked."

Onua shook her head. "I am sad to hear it." She gave Shana a long

look. The woman was horse-hearted as was her mother...She

stood. "Well, I need to go. There's a small K'mir temple across

from the Bandit's Bane if you are curious. The Priestess will answer

any of your questions."

Shana nodded. "I will go there...I know where the Bandit's Bane is

but never noticed the temple. Thank you."

"You are welcome. I have been meaning to talk to you for a while but

with training, and you always roaming..."

Shana nodded. "I can be hard to get a hold of. Thank you." She

left, walking over to where she had stabled Storm. She mounted him

and began the trip to the area where the Bandit's Bane was. Founded

by a former magistrate, the bar had an excellent reputation for

welcoming in those who helped to enforce the law...It was one of

Shana's favorite bars.

She rode to it, turned and found the temple. She hesitated, and told

Storm, "Wish me luck."

The animal nuzzled her, and she walked away from him into the

temple. The space was small, but felt...homey to her in a way that

the temples for the other gods did not. A priestess approached her,

but did not speak, sensing the fear and turmoil in her. A wrong

approach and the woman would bolt.

She blinked as she looked out a window and recognized the horse

standing outside. "Your mount is beautiful animal. What do you call

him?"

"Storm...He has a patch shaped like the mage symbol for Storm on his

left flank." She smiled. "His name in the books was Storm Breaking

Over the Sea, but he well...I call him Storm. I'm Shana."

The priestess hid her surprise well. Everyone knew Shana's story. A

shy young woman, she had joined the Riders, and worked her way up

through the ranks. She had attained the Rank of Commander, and

proceeded to walk into a trap. It had cost her the group she had commanded. It had

been her mount that had brought a squad of the King's own to her, and

they had brought her home. She had resigned from the Riders the

moment the healers had finished with her, and she woke up. Now she

roamed.

"You are welcome here. I am willing to help you in any way that you

require."

"I...Ummm...how do I..." Shana blushed. "How do I talk to them?"

"some people make offerings, others sit and talk to them in their

head, others meditate...there is no wrong way to pray daughter."

A nod. Shana walked over to the shrine for Bian Northwind, settled,

closed her eyes and began to meditate.

Shana cleared her mind, and felt herself sinking deep into her soul.

She nearly panicked, having only felt this sensation once, when she

had gone too deep into one of the horses she was healing.

"Easy, Child. I have been waiting for you to come to my shrine so we

could talk."

"What?" A slender woman with long dark hair and deep brown eyes

looked at her. Shana blinked. "Who are you and what are you doing

in me?"

"I am Bian Northwind."

"I ummmm...K'miri Horselords don't usually take an interest in

roamers, right?"

"Not unless they are unusual. You are one of mine...I wanted to say

I am proud of you, daughter. You have helped many of my children."

"Me?"

"Yes..." Bian shifted. "You will have many adventures ahead. just

remember, I will be watching you, and guiding you as I can. My

children and I thank you."

A nod. "I...thank you. But why?" She blinked. The woman was gone.

Shana stood. To think, she had imagined a Horselord...She opened her

hand to find a tiny steel horse shoe threaded on a leather thong.

She blinked, then slid it over her head.

She left a small offering at each of the shrines for the K'Mir gods,

then left, wanting to think over this new development.

Finis


End file.
